Tactics in 'They Shall Not Pass'
Days Five Through Nine: February 25-29, 1916
By Doug McNair
March 2007

The Germans get their last chance to avoid a bloody stalemate at Verdun (though that’s what Falkenhayn wants), in today’s finale of my They Shall Not Pass replay.

As Day Four came to a close, a thin blue line of French defenders made a valiant last-ditch (literally) defense, holding the third trench and repulsing the Germans with heavy losses. Two elite French divisions arrived as reinforcements and fanned out to reinforce the trench, and the few French holdouts in the second trench yet again repulsed the German 7th Reserve Corps on the German western flank. But German offboard and corps artillery successfully fired interdiction and cut the supply lines of those holdouts, and with their enemies thus weakened, the 7th will get one more chance to redeem their battered reputation.

As for the central German thrust, it will likely need to call in the German 121st Infantry Division as a reinforcement to guard its western flank against the resurgent French, so that the lead German units can all make one more push against the last French trench.

The battle continues.

Turn 5: February 25th, 1916

a) Weather Phase

The French roll a 6 and the weather still stays good. That could be a boon to both sides, since the French now have three Chasseurs units on the board and can do lots of Breakthrough movement. But the Germans will still get their +1 column shift on barrages, which will be vital for troops storming the last trench.

b) German Organization Phase

All German units are in supply, but both demoralized infantry units of the 7th Reserve corps STILL fail to rally (that’s three turns now). The demoralized, half-strength 3rd Corps Pioneer unit on the road northwest of Louvemont does rally, so that makes for another stack of German units that will be able to use Breakthrough Movement. So does the other 3rd Corps Pioneer and an infantry unit on the road southeast of Louvemont, but the two demoralized half-strength 3rd Corps infantry units just to their northeast fail to rally. A mixed bag overall, but at least 3rd Corps got its most important units back in action.

Breaking the last trenchline is everything, and the only spot on the trenchline that has no chance of getting French artillery support is the hill/trench hex four hexes east of Vacherauville. It’s defensible and occupied by two units, but if the Germans can take it they can cut behind it during Breakthrough movement and move all the way down to the road to Verdun, cutting Vacherauville off from behind.

The Germans put two replacements into restoring an 18th Corps Pioneer and infantry unit near the hill/trench hex, and another into restoring a 3rd Corps infantry unit near the easternmost trench hex near Douaumont. The Germans then bring in the 121st Infantry Division as a reinforcement on the road north of Beaumont, losing 1 VP in the process but guaranteeing that their central thrust won’t have to worry about French flank attacks. They finish the phase by removing the interdiction markers from the trenches near Vacherauville.

c) German Bombardment Phase

With the French second-trench holdouts on the left flank already out of supply, the Germans go for maximum barrages. Seventh Reserve Corps starts by hitting the strongest of those holdouts with its corps artillery plus an offboard heavy artillery shot. Unfortunately, it rolls a 3 on the 7-10 table and is ineffective.

Next, 18th Corps puts both its corps artillery units plus an offboard artillery shoot into the hill/trench hex east of Vacherauville. It does no better, rolling a 1 for no effect!

Getting panicky now, the German gunners shift their fire to French reinforcements that haven’t made it to the trench line yet, since hitting them won’t incur a –2 column penalty. Third Corps puts all of its artillery plus the offboard naval battery into a stack of two elite Tiralleurs units just behind the trench and two hexes southeast of the hill/trench hex. With the good weather bonus the attack is on the maximum 19+ column, and it rolls a 5 for an X result, doing a step loss to one of the French units and forcing both to make an M2 morale check. The undamaged unit passes the check, but the other fails and becomes demoralized.

The last offboard artillery shot combines with 5th Corps’ artillery to hit the French east-flank units in the trench at the town of Bezonveaux, but they roll a 1 and have no effect.

Overall, a very poor showing for the German gunners. It’s going to be all up to the infantry now.

d) German Movement Phase

Seventh Reserve Division goes once more into the trenches, cutting through the weak ZOC of the now solo French divisional artillery unit there to get behind it. Eighteenth Corps moves to attack the hill/trench hex east of Vacherauville, and 121st Infantry Division uses strategic movement to move in behind it and cover 18th’s west flank.

Third Corps sends its pioneer units to wipe out the solo XXX Corps artillery unit holding the hill-trench hex south of Louvemont, and also to hit the elite French units behind that trench which received the only successful German barrage.

Farther east, the remaining Germans try to deal with the sticky problem of the French Chasseurs near Douaumont by fanning out and presenting a solid line of units that the Chasseurs can’t infiltrate and cut off from behind. That limits the number of targets the Germans can effectively attack this turn, but they’ve got no other choice. All HQs and divisional artillery move to keep up with the advance.

e) German Assault Phase

Seventh Reserve Corps makes its final push against the now out-of-supply second-trench holdouts on the left. The battered units at Samogneux rush the full-strength but out-of-supply French 324th Reserve Infantry Regiment in the trench, and with one divisional artillery unit supporting they manage a 7-1 attack (which gets dropped to 5-1 by the trench). Somehow, they recapture whatever former glory they once had, and roll a 6, wiping out the entire French unit with four hits while taking none! The 324th is eliminated permanently since it was out of supply when destroyed.

Seventh Corps’ last pioneer stayed out of the attack to avoid annihilation by a bad roll, so one infantry unit advances into the vacated hex and the pioneer prepares to lead the rest south in breakthrough movement.

Farther east, more of 7th’s infantry attack the French divisional artillery that couldn’t help the just-destroyed left-flank unit (since it’s pinned down by Germans). It can’t get any support from other artillery of its own corps (they’re also pinned down), and the trench drops the 8-1 attack down to 6-1 odds. But the ghost of Frederick the Great or whoever helped the west-flank units departs the scene, and the 7th Reserve reverts to its former ways and rolls a 1. Their attack is overwhelming and can’t avoid wiping out the lone artillery, but the French score two hits on the Germans before dying, scoring a step loss and forcing both now-reduced German infantry units to retreat north.

Just to the east, the last second-trench holdout (a reduced, out-of-supply French infantry unit) gets hit from both sides by two reduced 7th Reserve infantry units. Seventh’s second divisional artillery unit fires support, and the 9-1 attack drops to 7-1 odds due to the trench. Frederick returns, because they roll a 4 and score four hits to none, wiping out the French and taking the trench. The second trench is finally under German control, thanks to effective interdiction fire last turn.

Now for the crucial assault on the third trench. First, 18th Corps hits the hill/trench hex east of Vacherauville. The two French units there (an infantry regiment and a reduced Chasseur) can’t get any artillery support since 72nd Reserve’s divisional artillery just died in the second trench, and XXX Corps’ artillery is being attacked this phase. Eighteenth Corps pours all its divisional artillery into the attack, and after the pioneer bonus and trench/hill penalties the odds are 4-1. The attack goes in — and rolls a 2, scoring two hits per side. The Chasseur dies and the infantry unit takes a step loss and holds the trench. The German pioneer takes a step loss, and most of the rest of 18th Corps retreats north to avoid the other step loss. The line holds yet again!

With the failure of that breakthrough attempt, the Germans drop all pretense at bravery and go for a breakthrough at all costs. They turn aside from the elite French units they bombarded behind the trench, and three German infantry plus two pioneers all attack French XXX Corps’ artillery in the hill/trench hex south of Louvemont. The obscenely overwhelming attack (it has a base odds of 20 – 1) rolls a 3 on the 7-1+ column, wiping out the artillery but also taking a hit in return, which wipes out one of 3rd Corps’ pioneer units. They couldn’t hold the pioneers out of it because that would prevent them from advancing beyond the ZOC of the elite French units behind the trench. The remaining pioneer does so with two German infantry.

At the last trench hex just west of Douaumont, 3rd Corps plus one infantry unit from 5th Corps attempts a breakthrough. Four infantry plus both of 3rd Corps’ divisional artillery units and one from 5th Corps attack the French 51st Reserve Division artillery plus a demoralized, reduced-strength French infantry unit in the hex. But the infantry is from the French 14th Division, and 14th’s artillery to the southeast in Vaux fires support. With that the attack odds are 30-7 or 4-1, and after the trench penalty it drops to 2-1. There are no German pioneers in the assault to give a bonus, so the attack goes in as is — and rolls a 5, scoring three hits to two. The artillery unit dies and the demoralized French infantry retreats two hexes south. The Germans reduce both of their full-strength infantry units in the assault and advance into the trench.

The last assault is the attack on the surrounded units at the road junction town of Bezonveaux at the extreme French right. With one 5th Corps divisional artillery shot the base attack odds are 15-3 or 5-1, but the town and trench in the hex drop it to 2-1. The Germans roll a 3, scoring two hits per side. The surrounded French can’t retreat and take both hits as step losses, but one of them has a morale of 7 and can thus roll to produce a remnant. It rolls a 4 against its morale and does so! The French flank holds and they retain control of the town, and the understrength Germans reduce their only full-strength unit in the assault and retreat to avoid losing a unit.

f) German Breakthrough Movement Phase

Third Corps’ surviving pioneer unit leads its charges southeast to fill the trench west of Douaumont with as many German units as possible so that it will hopefully hold against any French counterattack. Both of 18th Corps’ pioneers lead four German infantry units southeast down the road toward the breakthrough, and the lead stack makes it to Louvemont (just even with the first breakthrough hex). 121st Infantry Division’s pioneer unit pulls in the western shoulder of the German advance to screen the eastward redeployment of 18th Corps, and 7th Reserve Corps’ one remaining pioneer leads two tired infantry units south on the road from Samoneaux toward the French west flank at Vacherauville.

g) French Organization Phase

With the death of the second-trench holdouts, all French units are in supply. The elite French unit that got reduced by a barrage earlier in the turn rallies, but the two other demoralized French units don’t. Then the French 16th Independent Division enters as a reinforcement on the road southeast of Verdun, and the French give their one replacement to restore the infantry regiment that held the hill/trench hex east of Vacherauville.

h) French Bombardment Phase

The French Left Bank artillery barrages the stack which the 7th Reserve Corps’ pioneer unit is leading down the road from the northwest, but it rolls a 1 and fails to hurt it. The French rail gun fires at the weakest point of 3rd Corps’ line at the breakthrough, but rolls a 2 and does no damage. The French save their corps-level artillery to support their upcoming counterattack.

i) French Movement Phase

153rd Division’s reserve infantry regiment uses strategic movement on the road northeast and arrives in Bezonveaux to support the French Remnant that repelled the Germans there. Then the full and reduced-strength 37th Division elite infantry regiments pile into the trench, with the reduced-strength one reinforcing the hill/trench hex east of Vacherauville and the full-strength one occupying the trench southwest of Louvemont, putting its ZOC on the Louvemont road to block German movement there.

The rail gun moves away from the breakthrough, and then 16th Independent Division uses strategic movement on roads and overland to form a strong French line south of the breakthrough, with two regiments taking up position in the woods three hexes south of Louvemont, and another two regiments reaching the fort of Douaumont. Then two elite infantry units and two Chasseurs from 153rd Division switch places with other units in the line, and attack the weakest spot on the German line, one hex north of Douaumont town.

j) French Assault Phase

The French counterattack north of Douaumont gets full support from XX Corps’ and 153rd Division’s artillery, and goes in at an odds or 4 to 1. The attack rolls a 5, scoring four hits to one. Both half-strength German infantry units are wiped out before they can retreat, and the French retreat to avoid the one hit the Germans score.

The Germans decide not to use their remnant counters right now — they have plenty of units in the area, and they may need the remnants later to deal with counterattacks once all French reinforcements arrive (each remnant can only be used once). The French could have advanced into the gap but there was no point — the uniform German line makes it impossible for the Chasseurs to cut behind any isolated German units and put them out of supply.

k) French Breakthrough Movement Phase

A Chasseur leads an elite French infantry unit north to reoccupy Douaumont town. The other holds position east of Douaumont Fort.

l) Mutual Recovery Phase

All artillery flips, and play proceeds to . . .

Turn 6: February 26, 1916

a) Weather Phase

The French player rolls a 3, and the weather continues to defy the odds, staying good. This is good for the Germans at this point, because most French units are south of the last trench line and thus fully exposed to barrages. That is, if the German gunners can manage to improve on last turn’s lousy performance. . . .

b) German Organization Phase

All German units are in supply. The 7th Reserve Corps’ two demoralized units (which have spent a third of the battle that way) are now hiding the northernmost trench, and with the +1 morale bonus that gives them, one of them finds the strength to go on. So does one half-strength demoralized infantry from 3rd Corps, two hexes north of the breakthrough. The Germans then spend all three of their replacements on 3rd Corps, restoring its hard-working pioneer and two infantry units to full-strength.

c) German Bombardment Phase

Seventh Reserve Division’s corps artillery can finally aim at the third trench, but it holds its fire since the corps’ nearly wiped-out units will need all the fire support they can get to take on the elite Zouaves there. Ignoring the trench due to column penalties and morale bonuses for units there, both 18th Corps artillery units and the naval battery barrage the two 16th Independent Division regiments in the woods three hexes south of Louvemont.

The German gunners FINALLY get the range, and roll a devastating 6 on the 19+ column! The X result flips a regiment, and the reduced regiment fails the M2 morale check while the other rolls a 5 and succeeds. All French units outside the trenches are beyond the 10-hex range of the German offboard heavy artillery, so 3rd Corps’ artillery holds its fire so that it and the divisional artillery can give maximum support to the upcoming assault there. Fifth Corps’ artillery does the same, hoping to finally take Bezonveaux.

d) German Movement Phase

Seventh Reserve Corps’ battered units swarm out of the second trench and plunge southward to hit the Zouaves in the third trench north of Vacherauville. One unit takes a side trip to occupy the town of Champ, and their just-rallied unit jumps out of the northernmost trench and uses strategic movement to move in behind the Vacherauville assault.

Then 121st Infantry Division goes on the attack, since 7th Reserve is now covering the western flank. It sends in a pioneer and an infantry unit to support 7th Reserve’s attack on the Vacherauville trenches, surrounding the Zouaves there with ZOC while sending its other two infantry regiments to screen the French units in the trenches to the east. Then 18th and 3rd Corps move south of the trench to hit the last French units between them and Verdun (at least until more reinforcements arrive later this turn). Fifth Corps’ units surround Bezonveaux with ZOC to cut its supply lines.

e) German Assault Phase

Seventh Reserve’s time has come — if it breaks the Zouaves and takes Vacherauville, it will have an open road to Verdun and easily steal the limelight from the other three German corps (never mind that it’s getting help from the 121st). Every possible German artillery piece hits the Zouaves, giving the attack a base odds of 40-6, but then French XX Corps commits its own artillery and 37th Division’s as well. That drops the odds to 40-14 or 2-1, and after the trench penalty it drops to 1-2.

Only a roll of 6 will force the French to abandon the trench — and the 7th performs as usual, rolling a 3 to do one hit while taking 3. The Zouaves take the step loss and hold the trench, and the 121st’s pioneer plus 7th’s last full-strength infantry unit take step losses before everybody retreats a hex to avoid the third. The French west flank holds!

Then 18th Corps attacks the two regiments of 16th Independent Division in the woods south of Louvemont. Both sides’ divisional artillery fire in support (18th used its corps-level artillery to barrage, reduce and demoralize one of the units under attack). After the pioneer bonus and the defensive penalty for the woods, the attack is at 3-1 odds, and the Germans roll a 3, scoring two hits per side. The French take a hit and retreat southwest, and the German pioneer unit dies and an infantry unit takes a step loss so the Germans can advance. Two units do, leaving others to screen their rear from Chasseurs.

Then 3rd Corps hits a full-strength and a reduced, demoralized infantry unit from 14th Division two hexes southwest of Douamont. The hex is just barely outside the range of 14th Division’s artillery (in Vaux), so with support from all of 3rd Corps’ corps and divisional artillery, the attack goes in at 7-1 after the pioneer bonus. It rolls a 6! The reduced-strength French unit takes a step loss, rolls a 9 and fails to produce a remnant, and dies. The other unit takes a step loss and retreats two hexes to the fort at Thiaumont. The Germans take no hits and advance, but they only move forward one hex and leave a unit behind them, because the French Chasseurs to the east could easily cut them off if they left their rear open.

The Germans to the east have to keep the line solid against said Chasseurs, and with 14th Division’s artillery able to support any Remnant, an attack on Bezonveaux by 5th Corps’ weak units would be suicidal. So they wait for the units there to go out of supply and plan to attack them next turn.

f) German Breakthrough Movement Phase

The 7th Reserve Corps and 121st Infantry Division Pioneers advance back next to Vacherauville to surround the Zouaves in the trench there with ZOC, thus cutting them off from supply and also preventing reinforcements from using strategic movement to reinforce the Zouaves this turn. The other two German pioneer units (and there are only two more left) are in good positions and stay put.

g) French Organization Phase

The Zouaves at Vacherauville are out of supply, but the demoralized 16th Independent Division unit in the woods south of the German breakthrough rallies. Then MARSHAL PETAIN takes over the defense of Verdun, and brings help with him. One form of help is the fact that the French now get two replacements each turn. Both go to the 16th Infantry Division units in the woods south of Louvemont. Then more help arrives from Petain: XXX Corps gets new corps-level artillery in Verdun, and I Corps HQ, artillery and 1st Division arrive on the road southwest of Verdun.

h) French Bombardment Phase

Petain brings another benefit: competent artillery command and control. This allows French corps-level artillery to combine with each other. But first, the French Left Bank artillery barrages the 121st Division units assaulting the Zouaves at Vacherauville. It rolls a 1 and misses. Then the rail gun combines with both French I and XXX Corps artillery to barrage the two German units that advanced into the woods after pushing back the 16th Independent Division regiments. They roll a 6 on the 11-14 column, scoring an M2 result. Both units roll a 10 and are demoralized!

i) French Movement Phase

I Corps uses strategic movement to send infantry where they’re needed, which is just about everywhere. 1st Division’s artillery takes up residence in Fort St. Michel, and all three French HQs stay in or pull back to Verdun. Then the elite Tiralleurs unit in the trench adjacent to the Louvemont road has to pull back west one hex, because the Germans that hit the woods to the southeast can now advance into its rear and cut its retreat. Then the French move two units plus 14th and 153rd Division’s artillery to launch an attack on the lead German 3rd Corps Pioneer and infantry unit southwest of Douamont.

j) French Assault Phase

Said attack is at 2-1 odds, and rolls a 3, scoring two hits per side. The German infantry takes a step loss and retreats north to the trench, and the 153rd’s infantry takes a loss and retreats, keeping the reduced 14th Division unit alive so it can keep receiving artillery support. The French could also attack any of the 5th Corps units holding the German eastern flank, but the Germans would get divisional artillery support, so the French can’t get good enough odds to justify the damage they’d take.

k) French Breakthrough Movement Phase

With heavy hearts, the Chasseurs of the 153rd’s 4th Division lead an infantry unit south out of Douamont Town. If they tried to hold it the German pioneers of 3rd Corps would cut behind them. Strange consolation comes from the fact that the Germans must come out of the trench to pursue the French, meaning they’ll be more vulnerable to artillery.

l) Mutual Recovery Phase

Artillery flips again, and . . .

Turn 7: February 27, 1916

a) Weather Phase

FINALLY, real February weather closes in. German aerial spotters must land, so German barrages won’t get +1 bonuses this turn, and there will be no breakthrough movement. All units also have their movement allowances reduced by one.

b) German Organization Phase

All German units are in supply. The last demoralized unit of the German 7th Reserve Corps suddenly realizes there’s no more booming outside the trench it’s in, and it rallies and starts looking for its corps. Both German units in the woods south of Louvemont also rally, but the demoralized, reduced 3rd Corps infantry unit north of Douamont fails and stays demoralized. The Germans then spend their three replacements to bring 18th Corps’ pioneer up to full strength, plus one infantry unit each from 7th Reserve and 18th Corps.

c) German Bombardment Phase

Seventh Reserve Corps reserves its artillery for the assault on the Vacherauville trenches. 18th Corps once again combines with the naval guns to hit the 16th Independent Division regiments in the woods. But the attack rolls a 1, and does no damage (the weather saved the French from a morale check). The offboard heavy artillery takes three shots at the only worthwhile units it has the range to hit — the Vacherauville Zouaves — but it rolls two ones and a two and does nothing. The remaining corps-level artillery hold their fire to support assaults.

d) German Movement Phase

Seventh Reserve moves in for one more try at Vacherauville, and 18th and 3rd Corps split southwest and southeast (respectively). Eighteenth moves to hit the French units in the woods and trenches southwest of Louvemont, and 3rd moves to hit the Chasseur and infantry unit that pulled out of Douaumont. Fifth Corps holds the line and prepares for another shot at Bezonveaux.

e) German Assault Phase

Petain vows to sell Vacherauville as dearly as possible, and pours XX Corps artillery plus that of 37th Division in to help the brave Zouaves. The attack is at 41-10, which gets a –2 penalty for the trench but +1 for pioneer participation, so it goes in at 3-1 odds. Seventh Reserve gives it one last try — AND ROLLS A 6! They score four hits and wipe out the Zouaves, while taking just one. Their last pioneer unit dies, but the 121st’s advances in to take Vacherauville, with units pouring in behind to take the trench behind the 2nd Zouaves to the east! But they can’t advance down the road toward Verdun, because the French 1st Infantry Regiment moved up behind Vacherauville to block the road last turn.

Next, 18th Corps attacks the slowly-withdrawing Tiralleurs in the trench southwest of Louvemont. The attack is at only 2-1 after trench and Pioneer modifications, but if it forces the French out of the trench it’s worth it. The Germans roll a 3 and each side scores two hits, so the French retreat after taking a step loss, and 18th’s pioneer plus an infantry unit take a step loss and the stack advances into the trench.

The two 16th Independent Division regiments have retreated to a woods/slope hex on the southwest face of the plateau, putting themselves in more defensible terrain. The four German regiments next to them have no artillery support while the French do, so any attack would be on the 1-3 column and thus not worth it.

So the Germans hold the line and throw their artillery support into the attack against the French units that retreated from Douamont and are now screening the south flank of Douamont Fort. The French have one unit each from 16th Independent and 153rd Division in the hex, so they throw both divisions’ artillery into the fight, and it ends up at 3-1 odds after the pioneer bonus. But the Germans only roll a 2, scoring two hits per side. The Chasseur takes a step loss and retreats its stack southeast, and after the pioneer takes a loss the Germans have to retreat as well, because taking another loss would weaken them enough that a French counterattack could breach their lines. The Germans pull back from Douamont town and into the trenches.

That makes 5th Corps’ attack on Bezonveaux unadvisable. The French reinforcements could hit 5th Corps hard northeast of Douaumont, and if 5th Corps shoots its artillery at Bezonveaux their infantry will have no defensive support. Fifth Corps holds its fire and holds the line.

There’s no breakthrough movement in bad weather, so . . .

f) French Organization Phase

Vacherauville has fallen, so only Bezonveaux is out of supply. The one demoralized French unit (in the trenches northeast of Vacherauville) fails to rally, and the French spend their replacements to restore the Tiralleurs which the Germans forced out of the trenches southwest of Louvermont, and spend the other to restore their 14th Division unit in Thiaumont Fort. Then the last French reinforcement arrives: 2nd Division of I Corps. It appears on the road southwest of Verdun.

g) French Bombardment Phase

The French Left Bank artillery misses, and so does the rail gun. With the Germans having shot most of their artillery support, the French reserve theirs for assaults.

h) French Movement Phase

All of 2nd Division uses strategic movement to move north from Verdun and plug the breaches at Vacherauville and the trench southwest of Louvemont. Numerous French units stay in place and dig in. Then the French retake Douamont town and move to counterattack the Germans who didn’t make it back to the trench.

i) French Assault Phase

Two corps-level and two divisional-level artillery units support the attack, and it goes in at 4-1 odds. But it only rolls a 2, scoring two hits per side. The Germans take a step loss and have to retreat through French ZOC, and both units fail their morale checks and become demoralized. The French take one step loss and retreat back to the positions they started from.

There’s no breakthrough movement, so artillery flips and . . .

Turn 8: February 28, 1916

a) Weather Phase

The weather clears up again (amazing), so any German artillery that can reach a target will get a barrage bonus.

b) German Organization Phase

All German units are in supply, and one of the two demoralized German units that fled from the French counterattack rallies. They use their three replacements to restore the 18th Corps pioneer attacking southwest from Louvemont, a 7th Reserve Corps infantry unit to deal with what’s looking like a French counterattack forming against Vacherauville, and a 3rd Corps infantry unit in the trenches near Douaumont.

c) German Bombardment Phase

Seventh Reserve Corps’ artillery combines with an offboard heavy artillery shot to hit the French units in the trenches northeast of Vacherauville (neither artillery can hit the road south of it). It rolls a 3 and misses. With nothing else to shoot at, the heavy artillery take two more shots, but both miss. Once again, 18th Corps’ artillery combines with the naval battery to hit the 16th Division’s regiments in the woods south of Louvemont, and with aerial spotting it puts them on the 19+ table. The barrage rolls a 5 for an X result, doing a step loss to one of the French units, and both fail their M2 morale checks and become demoralized! The remaining corps-level artillery hold their fire so they can support assaults or move to catch up with their units.

d) German Movement Phase

Seventh Reserve Corps and 121st Infantry Division move to attack the dug-in French 1st Infantry Regiment on the road southeast of Vacherauville, and 18th Corps’ pioneer calls-in help from 3rd Corps to try and dislodge the dug-in Tiralleurs on the slope southwest of Louvemont. Then 3rd Corps moves out of the trenches and back into Douaumont town to attack the French south of the fort, and 5th Corps finally abandons its assault on Bezonveaux to move its corps-level artillery south and shuffle its units southwest for an assault on the French units north of Douamont Fort.

e) German Assault Phase

After both sides throw in artillery and the pioneers get their bonus, the German assault on the road southeast of Vacherauville goes in at 4-1 odds. The Germans roll a 6, scoring four hits and wiping out the French 1st Infantry Regiment while taking just one hit in return! Unfortunately, that hit kills 121st Infantry Division’s pioneer unit, which is the last pioneer on the German west flank. Two German infantry unit move into the road hex, but not beyond, since that would expose their rear to a vicious counterattack.

Then 18th Corps attacks the dug-in Tiralleurs on the slope southwest of Louvemont, hoping to close the eastern pincer behind the remaining French trench units at the same time 7th Reserve and 121st Infantry close in from the west. The French throw in divisional and corps-level artillery, so the Germans save theirs for the assault on the demoralized French 16th Independent Division units to the south. The attack is at 1-1 even after the pioneer bonus, (due to the slope), and the Germans roll a 3, scoring one hit but taking three. The French take a step loss and hold the line, and the Germans take two step losses to their pioneer and an infantry unit and retreat one hex — retreating two would have left any advance through the woods to the south dangerously exposed.

Eighteenth Corps throws all its divisional artillery into the woods assault, and French 16th Independent Division throws in its own. Even though they’re demoralized, the dug-in French units are in enough defensible terrain to bring the odds down to 1-1. But the Germans roll a 5 and score two hits per side, forcing the French to take a step loss and flee southwest. The Germans take both hits as step losses so they can advance and take the forest slope, thus denying the French the terrain advantage.

Third Corps then throws all its corps-level and divisional-level artillery into the assault southwest of Douaumont Fort. After the French throw in 153rd’s divisional artillery and the Germans get their pioneer bonus, the attack is at 3-1, but they roll a 2, scoring two hits per side. The pioneer dies and the other French units retreat to the trench again, and a French Chasseur dies so the stronger 16th Independent Division regiment can retreat and be ready to counterattack.

Finally, 5th Corps attacks northeast of Douaumont fort, hoping to isolate it so they can destroy the fort on the last turn for an extra VP. With German divisional-level artillery support the assault is at 2-1 against the dug-in units, and the Germans roll a 4, scoring two hits per side. The French take both hits as step losses and don’t give ground, and the Germans take one step loss and retreat, because taking two would bring all their participating units down to half-strength and make their line unable to withstand a counterattack.

f) German Breakthrough Movement Phase

There’s only one pioneer unit left on the board — 18th Corps’ in the trench just southwest of Louvemont. It moves one hex southwest to pin-down the reduced, dug-in Tiralleurs on the slope.

g) French Organization Phase

With the abandonment of the assault on Bezonveaux, all French units are now in supply. The reduced French infantry regiment with the 2nd Zouaves in the trench northeast of Vacherauville finally rallies, but both reduced 16th Independent Division regiments in the woods fail to rally and surrender, since they’re next to German units! The road to Verdun is now wide open through the woods!

With that change in the tactical situation, the French spend their two replacements to bring the Tiralleurs holding back the last German pioneer to full strength, and then do the same for the other Tiralleurs unit in the trench/hill hex just to the north.

h) French Bombardment Phase

The Left Bank artillery and that of XXX Corps combine to hit the German units that took the road southeast of Vacherauville. They roll a 4 for an M morale check. The 121st Infantry Division unit there makes its morale check, but the 72nd Reserve Division’s reverts to its old ways and becomes demoralized. Then the French rail gun just barely misses the units that forced the surrender of the French 16th Division regiments in the woods.

i) French Movement Phase

Tiralleurs pull out of the slopes and trenches to block the path of the 18th Corps pioneer unit, and units from multiple formations converge in the woods to hit the units leading the German advance there. The 2nd Zouaves pulls out of the trenches with the newly rallied reduced infantry unit, and helps 2nd Division hit the Germans on the road southeast of Vacherauville. Then the French move to counterattack the Germans east of the woods, retake Diaumont town once again, and establish a strong line from Douaumont Fort up to Bezonveaux.

j) French Assault Phase

The assault on the Germans on the road southeast of Vacherauville gets exactly 3-1 odds with artillery support, due to the 7th Reserve’s infantry unit having broken morale under the French barrage. The French roll a 3, scoring two hits per side. The Germans let their demoralized unit take a step loss and they both retreat, and the French let their weakened unit die, let a 2nd Division unit take a step loss, and advance to retake the road.

Then the assault on the German units in the woods/slope hex (the ones that forced the surrender of 16th Division’s units) goes in with lots of artillery support but only gets 2-1 odds due to the defensible terrain. The French roll a 3 and score two hits per side, wiping out one German unit that fails to produce a remnant, and forcing the other to retreat. The French take two step losses (losing a reduced 1st Division unit) and advance to reoccupy the defensible terrain).

Then the French attack just east of the woods and roll a 4 on the 2-1 column, scoring two hits per side. The Germans lose a demoralized infantry unit (which also fails to produce a Remnant) and the other retreats north to the trench. The French flip a 2nd Division unit, and it and another retreat to Thiaumont Fort while a 16th Division unit retreats southeast.

k) French Breakthrough Movement Phase

The last Chasseur moves to Douaumont Town to help the 16th Division unit there hold it against the last German assault.

And with artillery flipping, the last turn begins.

Turn 9: February 29, 1916

a) Weather Phase

This is the mildest February on record — the weather stays good.

b) German Organization Phase

All German units are in supply. Both demoralized German units fail to rally, and the Germans spend their three replacements only on units that have a shot at taking back Douaumont Town.

c) German Bombardment Phase

The French exodus from the trenches near Vacherauville puts all French units outside the range of 7th Reserve Corps’ corps-level artillery. Eighteenth Corps assists and has one of its artillery barrage the French making ready to counterattack Vacherauville, and the barrage rolls a 6 for an M1 result. But both French units roll 4s and make their morale checks.

The other 18th Corps artillery unit is just barely out of range, so Vacherauville is on its own, and that artillery unit combines with one of 3rd Corps’ and the Naval Battery to bombard the French in Douaumont Town. With the town’s defensive bonus the attack is on the 15-18 column — and the Germans roll a 1, for no result! The remaining corps-level artillery is needed for assaults, so the German gunners end up failing on their last attempt to break French morale.

d) German Movement Phase

The Germans pull their demoralized infantry unit out of Vacherauville and send in a fresh one, planning to just hold the line (they can’t afford a bad attack roll that would damage them and let the French have an easy counterattack to take the town). They then move everything they possibly can to Douaumont Town to retake it and hold it, with the 18th Corps pioneer unit moving southeast to hit a 16th Division unit that could come to Douaumont’s relief were it left alone.

e) German Assault Phase

It all comes down to Douaumont, which gets attacked simultaneously by 18th, 3rd and 5th Corps, with artillery thrown in by all. But the French can get the Germans’ odds down to 3-1 just by throwing in their eligible divisional artillery, and they save corps-level artillery for counterattacks. After the town’s defensive bonus the odds drop to 2-1 — but the Germans roll a 6, scoring three hits to one. The French have to take a step loss and retreat, as three step losses would wipe-out all their units. The last Chasseur dies that the stronger 16th Division unit may live and counterattack, and after another German unit takes a step loss, two fresh German infantry units pile into the town. The pioneer unit does its 2-1 attack on the other 16th Division unit to the southwest, but the 2-1 assault rolls a 1, taking three hits and giving only one. The French retreat one hex with no losses, and the last German pioneer dies as the other unit retreats two hexes to the trench.

The Germans can’t do breakthrough movement with all their pioneers dead, so the French get in the last shots.

f) French Organization Phase

All French units are in supply, and none are demoralized due to this turn’s lousy performance by the German gunners. Just as the Germans did, the French put their replacements into units that can take back Douaumont.

g) French Bombardment Phase

The Left Bank artillery barrages Vacherauville but misses. The best assault odds the French can get on the two full-strength German infantry at Douaumont is 2-1 after all artillery support and modifiers are figured-in. That’s not enough to force them to leave the town, so the rail gun and two corps-level artillery barrage it in hopes of a good roll. They roll a 5 on the 7-10 table (after the town modifier) for an M result. One German unit fails morale and becomes demoralized.

g) French Movement Phase

The French move everything they can find against Douaumont town.

h) French Assault Phase

With two full-strength units in Douaumont but one of them demoralized, German combat strength there is 9. The total combat strength the French can bring to bear on it with infantry and divisional artillery is 29. That’s a base 3-1 odds, which drops to 2-1 after the town penalty. In the same place they were before, the French roll for the assault — and get a 4, scoring two hits per side. The Germans lose their demoralized unit and hold the town, and the French take one step loss and retreat.

Their odds on Vacherauville are even worse, so the French hold their lines, and with no Chasseurs to move in the Breakthrough Movement Phase, the Germans count their victory points.

Victory Determination

Only the Germans score VPs, and the victory scale is:

0-2 VPs: French Major Victory
3-5 VPs: French Minor Victory
6-8 VPs: Draw (historical result)
9-11 VPs: German Minor Victory
12+ VPs: German Major Victory

They receive 1 VP for every two towns taken, 1 VP per fort destroyed, and 1 VP for every hex of Verdun taken. They get 1 VP if they inflict more unrecovered step losses on the French than they take, 3 VPs if they inflict 150% of the step losses the French do, and 5 VPs if they inflict twice the step losses the French do.

The Germans took the towns of Brabant, Haumont, Beaumont, Ornes, Maucort, Samoneaux, Champ, Vacherauville, Louvemont and Douaumont (but NOT Bezonvaux!). That’s exactly 10 towns for 5 VPs. Douaumont was tough, but necessary.

They’ve destroyed no forts and did not get to Verdun.

They lost one VP for bringing-in the 121st Infantry Division.

They inflicted 58 unrecovered step losses on the French while taking 44 themselves. 58/44 = 1.31. That’s enough for an extra 1 VP, but not the 1.5 they need for an extra 3 VPs. The second-trench left-flank holdouts that inflicted massive damage on 7th Reserve Division all get posthumous Croix de Guerre, and that remnant that saved the French right flank at Bezonvaux gets decorated while in hospital.

So, the German total is 5 – 1 +1 = 5, which just barely gives the French a Minor Victory! The German advance stalls out due to heavy losses, and Petain will roll them back.

THEY HAVE NOT PASSED! VIVE LA FRANCE!

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